Slight design changes, faster charging, and an improved main image sensor could make the Galaxy S26 Ultra feel surprisingly different.
The Galaxy Ultra series has always been Samsung’s ultimate showpiece — the one that blends power, camera prowess, and productivity in a single package. The current Galaxy S25 Ultra continues to hold that crown well into late 2025, but the next in line is fast approaching. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to debut around January 2026, and from what we’re hearing, it will be more of an evolution than a revolution — a refinement focused on efficiency, display technology, and camera fundamentals.
This preliminary comparison looks at how the Galaxy S26 Ultra might build upon the solid foundation of the S25 Ultra, and whether the expected upgrades — from a new camera sensor to a smarter OLED display and faster charging — will make it worth the wait.
Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Galaxy S25 Ultra expected differences:
*Rumored/expectedTable of Contents:
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Samsung has been carefully sculpting the Ultra’s design over the years, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra finally introduced flat sides with subtly rounded corners — a look that’s sleek, serious, and reminiscent of the old Galaxy Note days. The Galaxy S26 Ultra isn’t expected to deviate far from that, though there are whispers of a slightly slimmer frame, around 0.4 mm thinner than before, while keeping the same hefty, titanium-style body.
The general layout of buttons, ports, and the S Pen silo should remain identical. Early rumors suggesting the stylus might disappear have since been debunked, and leaked CADs confirm it’s still there — though Samsung reportedly had to rework its internal layout to maintain Qi2 wireless charging readiness without magnetic interference from the pen’s digitizer.
*Rumored/expected
We might, however, see a tweak on the back. The S25 Ultra’s “floating camera rings” design wasn’t exactly universally loved, as the protruding lenses tend to gather pocket lint. But the S26 Ultra may reintroduce a raised camera island to create a more cohesive look and accommodate the rumored larger camera sensor. The phone could also feel slightly different in hand thanks to its slimmer build, though the weight is expected to stay roughly the same.
Color options are likely to stay within Samsung’s familiar palette of restrained, professional hues, so we can safely expect a black, silver, gray, and blue variants, alongside Samsung.com exclusives for those who want something a bit different.
One thing to keep note when getting one of those Samsung.com exclusive colors is that they often take longer to repair if you have Samsung Care Plus. That’s because spare parts for those special models are not as mass-produced, which means some regions might have limited quantities, if at all.
Display Differences
Samsung’s displays have long been an industry benchmark, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel already impressed with excellent visibility and color accuracy. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to refine that formula, not reinvent it.
The screen size will stay roughly the same, but Samsung is reportedly switching to its new M14 OLED material stack with CoE (Color-on-Encapsulation) technology.
